Bolt set for another treble

Usain Bolt only made a brief appearance on Thursday at a Jamaican training session ahead of the world championships, but is ready to deliver another title treble, according to his agent.

Bolt, 26, joked around with some team-mates, did a few runs, and underwent a massage at the Luzhniki sports complex training area, before disappearing into the team bus, ahead of anyone else.

“He only wants to focus on the world championships here. And he is only responsible for his own performance. But he is in a very good shape. That showed at his last race in London,” agent Ricky Simms said.

Bolt won 100m, 200m and 4x100m trebles at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, as well as at the 2009 world championships. He took the 200m and 4x100m at the 2011 worlds, but was famously disqualified from the 100m final over a false start.

The Jamaican superstar will start his quest for another hat-trick Saturday with the 100m heats. The final is Sunday, the 200m final on Aug. 17 and the 4x100m final concludes the championships on Aug. 18.

Bolt is the top 100m favourite in the absence of holder Yohan Blake (injured), former world record holder Asafa Powell and American season-leader Tyson Gay (both failed doping tests).

Bolt’s 100m season-best is 9.85 seconds from the recent London race, and he has the fastest time of the year over 200m at 19.73 seconds. His world records over the sprint distances stand at 9.58 and 19.19 seconds.

“We have always been mindful of the fact that this is a FIFA weekend and the onus lay with the Bafana Bafana head coach on whether to release the players or not’’.

Pirates moved to the top of CAF Champions’ League Group A with a comfortable 3-0 win over Al Ahly last weekend.